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“The fortress of Lost Rams” (Uzbekistan) was discovered in 1938 by Sergey Pavlovitch Tolstov, leader of the Chorasmian Archaeological-Ethnological Expedition. It contained a Mazdian fire temple, and was decorated with frescos of wine consumption. Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions, which combines cosmogonic dualism and eschatological monotheism in an unique manner among the major religions of the world.This is an amazing and enigmatic site with wonderful circular shape, a fortress, but what lay within the fortifications is a mystery. Today, the site lies in a remote part of the surrounding desert.In the 2oo BCE, the complex was destroyed by fire and it was rebuilt and used until 4oo CE.

The “ring” is named the space between the central building and the wall. The clay construction was enormous: the central building diameter was 42 m, the height in parts was about 8 m, the whole construction diameter was about 90 m. Bronze tips of arrows and other findings were used to identify its age – archaeologists found out that it was the most ancient of all the monuments to ancient Khorezmian statehood known. During excavations it was found a rich collection of antique works of art: statuettes, made of alabaster and terracotta, ceramic urns, ossuaries, stone seals, ceramic flasks . Fragments of wall paintings and monuments of ancient script of Avesta civilization in Central Asia are of particular interest.

The temple complex functioned partially as a burial of the unknown ancient king or queen. The fortress population consisted, as you saw, of Zoroastrians, worshipping Anakhita (the goddess of water and rivers) and Siyavus (the sun god). Its western part was built in honour of the goddess Anakhita, and eastern and the southern parts were turned towards the sun rising in honour of the god of sun Siyavush, evidenced just looking at the number of figurines and relicts of vessels discovered with images of gods. It is believed this was a kind of temple-tomb, on which territory the astronomical investigation and some ritual ceremonies of Zoroastrism were held. People considered this place sacred and were bringing ossuaries with remains of the dead here.

The remnants of the most ancient ossuaries in the Central Asia were found with paintings, inscriptions in ancient Khorezmian language. This fortress remains a historical puzzle until now.